Legality of using certain lights when running

Cabaal

So its coming up to the darker evenings so thought it time to rethink what I use when I'm out running at night.

I wanted to get myself a LED and was looking at the blue one of these but what's the situation regarding the legality of using a flashing blue LED light?
Choose blue as it wouldn't get lost amongst all the other lights and at least would stick out.

http://www.roadid.com/Common/LearnMore.aspx?PID=12

ger664

Regardless of the legality I would get the blue one, maybe then oncoming traffic might slow down and dip their headlights when the see a flashing blue light approaching them.

LLU

Interesting. Cars, bikes and vehicles in general are not allowed to have flashing blue lights for obvious reasons but I'm not aware of any laws as to lights carried by pedestrians. But as ger664 says, it'll certainly get drivers attention so it's very effective.

I'd say there's also a good chance that at some point you'll get grief from a garda about it but don't know if they can do anything!

TFBubendorfer

LLU wrote: »

I'd say there's also a good chance that at some point you'll get grief from a garda about it but don't know if they can do anything!

That's the point in the discussion where I point out that it's easier to apologize afterwards than to ask for permission beforehand.

MrThrifty

From my experience, a red light more than suffices. Drivers assume it's either a car pulled over or reversing towards them! Blue seems a bit OTT. More important thing I've found necessary is actually a white headtorch to light the road immediately ahead as chances are that the main accident you'll have on dark roads just involves yourself and a pothole! Also the headtorch looks to be an oncoming car/bike on the wrong side of the road to approaching drivers who naturally slow down. Bear in mind also that most running gear has retroreflective markings which tend to slow drivers down anyway. Biggest issue is drivers not giving a wide enough birth...

Gringo78

I think this covers things: S.I. No. 342/2006 — Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) (Blue and Amber Lamps) Regulations 2006
Since a runners not a vehicle theres no regulation against it - a bicycle would be a different story.

Cabaal

Gringo78 wrote: »

I think this covers things: S.I. No. 342/2006 — Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) (Blue and Amber Lamps) Regulations 2006
Since a runners not a vehicle theres no regulation against it - a bicycle would be a different story.

Just reading through - http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2006/en/si/0342.html
Unless I'm missing something there's nothing to suggest a pedestrian can't have such a light.

As you've rightly said a bike might be a different matter and I know up until about last year even a flashing red/white light was illegal on a bike (this changed thankfully).

nerraw1111

Kill this thread. There’s still light, there’s still light.

The problem with wearing a blue light I would've thought is that drivers won’t know what the heck it is.

A red light screams “warning” and every motorists knows to avoid it as it may be a cyclist or pedestrian.

A small blue light jerking up and down? I doubt anyone will confuse it for Gardai or emergency services.